What does DVD stand for?

**Donna** · 7th-April-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

I came 5th at Britroc 2004 and got a towel which isnt even big enough to stay up when tied round my waist. Say I was wearing that at a dance event..... it would FALL DOWN. Is THAT the sort of thing you want to see at a dance event? I know I dont?!?!

The thought of seeing a smurf naked makes me feel sick.

Just keep ya nappy on it'll do fine.

Quote:

me: that was 'strange'
tony: uh-huh but we like to try new ideas
me: ok. your wifes cute btw

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Bet you dont even know what DVD stands for anyway

Doh who doesn't? Digital Video Disc.

CJ · 7th-April-2006, 04:11 PM

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Originally Posted by Donna

Doh who doesn't? Digital Video Disc.

Is that your final answer?!?

**Donna** · 7th-April-2006, 04:47 PM

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Originally Posted by Ceroc Jock

Is that your final answer?!?

Nope. Some say versatile some assume it's video. Whatever!

doc martin · 7th-April-2006, 05:35 PM

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Originally Posted by Donna

Nope. Some say versatile some assume it's video. Whatever!

So Digital Votever Disc it is then. laughing.gif

**Donna** · 7th-April-2006, 06:00 PM

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Originally Posted by doc martin

So Digital Votever Disc it is then. Attachment 5054

**Dreadful Scathe** · 8th-April-2006, 12:49 AM

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Originally Posted by Donna

Nope. Some say versatile some assume it's video. Whatever!

Can I assume from this that you got it wrong and after CJ's comment looked it up to get the right answer ? It is indeed Digital Versatile Disc - not 'some say it is' it IS

A lot of people dont know that though

**ducasi** · 8th-April-2006, 03:12 AM

It's "Digital Versatile Disc" or "Digital Video Disc"... Or just simply "DVD" – like many other acronyms in the ICT world, the folks who "own" the name now claim it doesn't stand for anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

"DVD" was originally an initialism for "Digital Video Disc." Some members of the DVD Forum believe that it should stand for "Digital Versatile Disc" to reflect its widespread use for non-video applications. Toshiba, which maintains the official DVD Forum site, adheres to the latter interpretation, and indeed this appeared within the copyright warnings on some of the earliest examples. However, the DVD Forum never reached a consensus on the matter, and so today the official name of the format is simply "DVD"; the letters do not officially stand for anything.

**Dreadful Scathe** · 8th-April-2006, 01:48 PM

Wikipedia is wrong this time. DVD was a technology produced by Pioneer and other companies at the beginning of the 1990s.... to quote Pioneer ...

Quote:

Pioneer Corporation is a global leader in electronics and audio/video products for the home, car, commerce and industry, particularly in the two core multimedia technologies - Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and plasma display panels (PDP)

Wikipedia also only lists the "versatile" definition as a link to the DVD article under its optical disc section which belies the wording of the actual DVD article.

And as someone who was interested in the technology at the time it was first released I know there was initially no such "video" definition and I have still yet to see one on any hardware or on any actual discs.

The clincher is the DVD Forum - the official DVD site - which wikipedia says "never reached a consensus on the matter", it has THIS on its fact page here.

Quote:

What does DVD mean?

The keyword is "versatile." Digital Versatile discs provide superb video, audio and data storage and access -- all on one disc

hmm

**ducasi** · 8th-April-2006, 03:46 PM

Common sense says that "digital video disc" came before "digital versatile disc", otherwise they'd have called it "VDD" – versatile digital disc, or something like that...

I'd guess that "DVD" meaning "digital video disc" was used during the design by the engineers, and then the marketing folks reinvented the name.

If as Wikipedia says, the DVD Forum web page is managed by Toshiba rather than by the Forum, then you can't take for gospel everything they say as being the opinion of the DVD Forum.

Also, see here and here.

**DavidB** · 9th-April-2006, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducasi

Common sense says that "digital video disc" came before "digital versatile disc", otherwise they'd have called it "VDD" – versatile digital disc, or something like that...

Can you imagine the porn industry releasing films on VDD?

**Dreadful Scathe** · 9th-April-2006, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducasi

Common sense says that "digital video disc" came before "digital versatile disc", otherwise they'd have called it "VDD" – versatile digital disc, or something like that...

I'd guess that "DVD" meaning "digital video disc" was used during the design by the engineers, and then the marketing folks reinvented the name.

If as Wikipedia says, the DVD Forum web page is managed by Toshiba rather than by the Forum, then you can't take for gospel everything they say as being the opinion of the DVD Forum.

Commen Sense says? so if I had some then i would have thought of that myself...thanks

and you "guess" that the engineers used the term originally? must be true then

And you were happy to quote wikipedia on "the official DVD Forum site" as if the DVD forum was the place that would know the facts and now just as happy to claim we "can't take for gospel everything they say" when their own FAQ doesnt even hint at the possibility of the definition you're pushing.

**ducasi** · 9th-April-2006, 06:46 PM

Do you have a response to what is written in the DVD FAQ?

**Dreadful Scathe** · 10th-April-2006, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducasi

Do you have a response to what is written in the DVD FAQ?

Yes this unofficial DVD resource says "Digital video disc (the original meaning proposed by some of DVD's creators)" which seems a bit of a contradiction - if only some proposed this then how can it be the original meaning? Maybe some people proposed "Dynamite Virile Donkey" but it doesnt say

That faq also says "DVD-Video (often simply called DVD) defines how video programs such as movies are stored on disc" why would you call it "DVD-Video" if its not "versatile"?... "Digital Video Disc Video" that makes no sense.

Remember, it doesnt make any sense!!

**ducasi** · 10th-April-2006, 10:01 AM

I'd agree that "Digital Versatile Disc" is the current commonly understood meaning of "DVD", but as the author says, agreeing with both me and Wikipedia, the "original" meaning was "Digital Video Disc", and it officially now is just "DVD" – without the letters standing for anything.

Despite this FAQ being "unofficial", I'm more inclined to believe it and Wikipedia than you, or even the DVD Forum web site.

Especially after reading this mini-bio of the author:

Quote:

The DVD FAQ is written by Jim Taylor, the author of DVD Demystified and Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About DVD. Jim has been in the DVD business since before there was a DVD business. He found out about the upcoming DVD format in 1995 and began writing articles to let others know about this amazing new technology. Jim received the 2000 DVD Pro Discus Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry, was named one of the 21 most influential DVD executives by DVD Report, was an inaugural inductee into the 2002 Digital Media Hall of Fame, and was named one of the Pioneers of DVD in the October 2003 issue of One to One magazine. Jim has worked with interactive media for over 20 years, developing educational software, laserdiscs, CD-ROMs, Web sites, and DVDs, along with teaching workshops, seminars, and university courses. He writes articles and columns about DVD for publications such as Widescreen Review, serves as President of the DVD Association, and sits on advisory boards of leading-edge companies in the DVD industry. Jim was formerly DVD Evangelist at Microsoft, and is currently Chief of DVD Technology and General Manager of the Advanced Technology Group at Sonic Solutions, the leading developer of DVD authoring systems.

**Donna** · 10th-April-2006, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidB

Can you imagine the porn industry releasing films on VDD?

That's a good un'!

I agree with Ducasi though and I have also heard that it was originally called "Digital Video Disc" and later changed it to Versatile. That's two against one then hey DF? Or make that 3. Wikipedia being the 3rd.

**Dreadful Scathe** · 10th-April-2006, 01:21 PM

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Originally Posted by ducasi

the "original" meaning was "Digital Video Disc"

of some!! and I've never heard of it and I've got a collection of cuddly smurfs.

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...Jim was formerly DVD Evangelist at Microsoft...

He hardly has any credibility at all anymore

and Wikipedia never had any in the first place.

It makes no sense that an optical disc format which had a lot of ..er..versatile uses and was later used primarily for video would be called VIDEO first and VERSATILE later. It makes no sense. Sense? None!

**Donna** · 10th-April-2006, 01:42 PM

Just how much further is this conversation on the letters DVD going to go?

8th-April-2006, 03:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
ducasi Lovely Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 9,500 Rep Power: 6 Reputation Total: 3224	Re: Blackpool 2006 Dvd Common sense says that "digital video disc" came before "digital versatile disc", otherwise they'd have called it "VDD" – versatile digital disc, or something like that... I'd guess that "DVD" meaning "digital video disc" was used during the design by the engineers, and then the marketing folks reinvented the name. If as Wikipedia says, the DVD Forum web page is managed by Toshiba rather than by the Forum, then you can't take for gospel everything they say as being the opinion of the DVD Forum. Also, see here and here. __________________ Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

9th-April-2006, 06:46 PM	#12 (permalink)
ducasi Lovely Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Glasgow Posts: 9,500 Rep Power: 6 Reputation Total: 3224	Re: Blackpool 2006 Dvd Do you have a response to what is written in the DVD FAQ? __________________ Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

10th-April-2006, 01:42 PM	#17 (permalink)
Donna Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wrexham, North Wales. Posts: 3,395 Rep Power: 2 Reputation Total: 550	Re: Blackpool 2006 Dvd Just how much further is this conversation on the letters DVD going to go?

10th-April-2006, 01:45 PM	#18 (permalink)
CJ Senior Member